Prequelle by Ghost

Prequelle is an album drenched with death, but with the sound of pure beauty.

When one thinks of death it is usually followed by dark and eerie music and sounds that one won’t enjoy, but that is not the case with the new Ghost album titled Prequelle. The album’s theme is based around death, as stated by Tobias Forge in an interview, but musically the theme is beauty. Every song on this album from the first intro all the way to the last song “Life Eternal” is a pure masterpiece and is probably one of the most well-written albums that the band has ever put out.

As we dive into Prequelle to hear what Cardinal Copia and the rest of the nameless ghouls have prepared for us, we start off with a creepy intro titled “Ashes” that sets the tone right for the album and the album’s general vibe and if one had been keeping up with the videos that the band has been posting, this will sound all too familiar. We then lead straight into the smash single “Rats” which would throw anyone for a loop if they were expecting a sound that matched the intro before it. From this point on, the listener is consumed with amazing music, cryptic and poetic lyrics, and a story that Ghost tells through their music that anyone could listen to.

Prequelle is everything that a lover of any genre of rock (maybe even a little taste for groove) could appreciate. The album takes inspiration from several different artists and genres and it is made quite evident throughout these ten songs. There are the fast-paced songs that can get you dancing like “Rats” or “Dance Macabre”, there are the slow and beautiful songs that could make one cry like “Pro Memoria” which was also featured on the video portraying the embalming of the Papas to introduce the Cardinal Copia into the spotlight. Ghost has had a few instrumentals featured on their albums in the past, and this one is no different, but there’s a bit more of a focus on these instrumentals with three instrumentals that are beautiful, such as the previously mentioned intro that brings a listener into the album, “Miasma”, which is center in the album, and “Helvetesfonster” which is just a pure masterpiece that showcases just how deep and how far Ghost can take the music. One could easily just fall in love with the talent and drive that Ghost can provide for their fans.

This album is a pure masterpiece, plain and simple. It’s drenched in death but filled with beauty. Everything in Prequelle is good, from the mixing, instrumentals, and music to the lyrics, writing, and time taken to prepare such a great work. The Cardinal is doing quite well for what Papa Zero hired him for and as the story of Ghost continues and fans get to hear this amazing album, Cardinal might just be able to become a Papa himself. When you listen to Prequelle prepared to get lost in its greatness.